1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a screen printing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrode printing apparatus which is utilized for forming inner electrodes of ceramic electronic components such as laminated capacitors, multi-layered printed circuit boards, LC composite components, and etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional electrode printing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 7, there is a gap G between a lower edge of cover 3 provided on a screen 2 and a sheet-like ceramic green-sheet 4. Therefore, in the conventional electrode printing apparatus 1, a volatile solvent of a printing ink, i.e. electrode paste 5 supplied on an upper surface of the screen 2, volatilizes during printing, and therefore, a viscosity of the electrode paste 5 increases, and thus, a thickness of a printed electrode becomes large. Therefore, there was a problem in the conventional electrode printing apparatus 1 that printing quality, that is, quality of an electrode (not shown) on the ceramic green-sheet 4 changed during the printing.